Obstetrical couch



`Patented Apr. 30,` 1940 2,198,804 os'rr'rinoAL conca n f Ferdinand Hermann Carlsson, Westinanna Isles,

Iceland, assigner `of one-half to son, Portland, Ojreg'.`

t Application March 21, 1938, `Seria-l No. 197,180

, In Denmark Madri/22,1937

(CLIN- 292) slopes from its front `edge backwards, as this ,2 claims.

The invention relates to an obstetrical couch, which is especially characteristic in that it consists of a pad or cushion of rubber or another i airtight material, this cushion being inatable i ion, and serve thus as an eilicient Support for` and of such dimensions that it can `form a couch forl the bearing woman, who is laid von the cushthe pelvis and back portion ofthe woman, a re- `oeptacle or `bowl preferably of the samematerial being combined with the said cushion, the front Wall of which forms preferably one bounding wall of the bowl, which is, for the remaining part,`

i bounded by an inflatable wall. i f

Bowls of the abovementioned kindare known per se, but itis a characteristic feature` oi the invention to combine such a vbowl with an iniiatable `cushion which yields an efficient` support `for the pelvis and back portions, viz. due to the `cushion being wide enough to form areal couch. `The obstetrical couch brings hereby the advann tage that it can be positioned, and the bearing woman be laid thereon, while the cushion .is hat (unfinilated), whereupon the inflation is carried` `outpso that the obstetrical couch gets its final shape, and the pelvis portion ofthe woman is` lifted in a lenient manner by the actual initiation i f `preferably provided with suitable internal stiifen-f` of i the cushion. cleaned after its use, and it occupies only a small Besides, i the` couch is easily space, when out oi use, ae it may be folded, when the air is exhausted. i i

According to a further feature of the invention the bottom of the bowl is preferably level with the bottom of the cushion, and the height of the inatable wall of the bowl is preferably essentially less than that of the cushion at the iront edge thereof, e. g. 1/3-2/3 thereof.

1To ensure a unifornlination the cushion is ers or` shoring elements, as e. g. a number `of partitions, preferably `both longitudinal and transversal ones, the said partitions being provided with holes or apertures for the passage `of air between the compartments of the cushion formed by the partitions. The inflatable `wall may be similarly stiffened by `a suitable number of transversal partitions.

As to the shape of the cushion propenthe latter maybe square and equally `high all over,`

but it may also profitably be so made that it i Bjorn Johannshape is very well fit for a good support.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which i Fig. l is a `plan View of an obstetrical couch according to the invention, i g

Fig. 2 is an elevationthereof,

Fig. 3 is a section on line IIL-III in Fig. l, i Fig. 4 is a section on line IV--IV in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 isan` elevation of another constructional form of an obstetrical couch according to the invention.

In the figures it is supposed that the couch is in its inflated situation.

Referring now to Fig. 1, is the inestable cushion, which is, in the illustrated construcf tional forni, square and equally high all over. The dimensions may vary somewhat, but the height of the cushion is` preferably between 4 and 6 inches-.while the length and width of the cushion may for instance be about 28 inches. At one side the cushion is providedwith a valve `or nipple 2 through which the ination takes place. To ensure a uniform inflation the interior of the cushion is provided with a number of longitudinal partitions 3 and some transversal partitions 4, asindicated by the broken lines in Figs. 1 and 2." i

lig. 3` shows sucha partition 3 and openings 5, through which the air is allowed to pass during the inflation `to the compartments formed by the partitions. In a similar manner the partitions 4 may be provided with openings for the passage of air.

The cushion l is combined with a bowl oonsistng of a bottoni ll andianiniiatable bounding wall 'i extending along three sides of the bowl, while the bounding `wall of the fourth side is `formed by the front wall la of the cushion I.

The height ofthe wall l is somewhat less than that of the said front wall and may e. g. be between 2 and 4 inches.l The bounding wall l may e. g. have the cross section represented in Fig. 4 transversal partitions being arranged to ensure this cross section as indicated by the broken lines 8 in Figs. 1 and 2.

lil, Figs. 1 and 2, indicates a valve or nipple for the ination, which may be independent of the inflation of the In Fig. Il apertures 9 `are shown in the said partitions.

cushion l, the front Wall la closing the ends of 50 the cavity of the wall 1. The said cavity may, however, also communicate with the cavity of the cushion, so that the iniiation takes place vsim taneously, but preferably the two cavities are separated from each other.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the top Aface of the cushion slopes backwardsffrom the front wall la, which shape has proved very advantageous. i

As to the shape of the cushion shown in Fig. 2,

this shape may be modied by bounding its back portion by an inclined surface as indicated by the broken line lb, which makes the cushion fit for use in a bed, in which a usualbolster is already present.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated and described constructional forms, which are only given by way of examples, but may be varied in several ways, as to dimensions and shapes, without leaving the principle of the invention. For instance, the bowl may be circular, semicircular, semi-oval etc. insteadof substantially square, and the bounding wall l may, instead of being provided with stiieners, be in the shape only of a hose getting a circular cross section when inflated,f in which case its diameter must,

' however, be large enough to give a suitable height to the wall l. The bowl may, if desired, be provided With an outlet in its bottom communicating with a hose. f

I claim:

l. Obstetrical couch comprising an inflatable cushion of such dimensions that it can serve as support for the pelvis and back portions of a patient lying on the cushion, and a bowl arranged kat one end of the cushion so as to form an extension of the latter, said-,bowl having "afbottom flush withl the underside of the iniiatable cushion and being besides bounded by inatable walls, the height of which is .essentially lower than the height'of the cushion at its wall adjacent the bowl.

2. Obstetrical couch according to claim 1, in which the end wall of the cushion adjacent the bowl is essentially higher than the opposite end wall of the cushion, the upper side of the cushion sloping downwardly against the latter end wall.

FERDINAND HERMANN CARLSSON. 

